Howdy my friends, at this time
last year I was deep into the creation of my new album,
House of Sky. I enjoyed that recording and the writing
and playing and production that went with it, more than
any recording project I’ve ever done. Much of that was
because so many of you reached out to support me through
my Kickstarter campaign, that you gave me the time and
money to take as long as I needed to finish it. That
album has been out since last summer and I have had such
wonderful and passionate response to every song on it.
It was my dream to make a record that would make you
want to listen like we did in our youth, where we’d give
an album our full attention and get lost in it over and
over again. I wanted every song to matter, to give you
something that would better your life, lift your mood
and give you hope and help you feel that the creativity
I expressed in writing and recording it came from the
same well of love that you too have the ability to drink
from.

In
all my years of recording I have never seen so many
people buy a new album over and over again to give it
away. One person bought 50 copies, another 30. And so
many folks have come back to my website again and again
to buy more for friends they felt would love the album.
I’m hoping that many of you will do that for gift giving
this Holiday Season. I honestly cannot think of another
gift you could give which someone might love for years
and years. Think back to the songs and the albums that
have meant a lot to you in your life. And how you can
still listen and feel good about life when you hear
those songs today. That is what I envisioned and what I
know is happening for those who have this new album.

Holiday
Gifts ~ I’ve set up a
couple of options for you this season. If you buy 3 or
more CDs, you may choose another CD for free. You can
see the instructions on my Special Holiday Offers link.
Also, I’ve been creating short 10-minute guided
meditation recordings that are receiving such good
feedback and response. Several people have written me to
let me know that my Restful Sleep meditation has truly
helped them to fall asleep easier and sleep more
soundly. And others have let me know that my Peaceful
Breaths meditation has relieved stress and anxiety in
their lives and helped them to feel more centered and
well. If you purchase a CD on my website, you may ask
for either one of these meditations and I’ll email it to
you right away.

Meditation
~ Next week will be my two year anniversary of beginning
to meditate regularly and consistently. My life has been
so much richer and more peaceful since — and it began
almost immediately after starting to meditate. I do hour
long guided meditations and I know that when you are
just getting started that may seem like an impossible
amount of time. That’s why I’ve created these shorter
ones to help you get started and to stay with it long
enough so that you feel the gifts start to come.

Someone wrote me last night and
said she’d been encouraged to begin because of my
frequent writing about meditation. For five months she
has meditated and I loved the simple way she described
her results; “What you say is so true — it will change
your thought patterns.” That may not seem particularly
profound to you until you start to realize that our days
are filled with negative thoughts; What is wrong? What
might be wrong later? Did someone criticize me? Am I not
good enough? I wish I wasn’t fat. I’m frightened by what
is going on in the world. ~ It goes on and on. And I
will not tell you that I never have those thoughts, but
almost immediately after starting to meditate they began
to recede. And when you start to notice yourself waking
up happier and more peaceful in your heart, you will
know that it was the communion with your own soul —
which is what meditation is — that did it. If you wish
to pray, you will never in your life pray more
beautifully and gratefully than after clearing your
heart and mind through meditation and coming to prayer
as a very natural expression of your gratitude.

Concerts
~ I just played a really enjoyable concert in Seattle
last month and the week before last, I played two
concerts in Southern California. One was a private
concert. Private concerts are a big part of how I am
able to survive with music as my livelihood. All my
concerts are a joy and all of them are uplifting and
filled with good will, but these private concerts are
particularly special. People in all parts of the US have
bring me in to sing in their home or some venue they
have arranged, and I sing and tell stories to their
family and their closest friends. I feel like I have
walked into a rare and sacred space every time. If you
are ever interested in my Private
Concerts, check the link under my Concerts menu.

I would love to do performances
in many regions of the US in this next year. I need help
doing that though. I’m a one man operation and while I
can rent halls and put on my own shows in some cities,
generally, I need someone else to do that for me. Some
existing venue or concert series or promoter. It is most
helpful to me if you actually have an inside-track to
one of these. If you are a part of creating shows or
want to do so, or you know someone who does that and may
really listen to you when you suggest that they bring me
in for a concert, that is the most helpful thing for me.
On occasion, I’ve had people get in touch and say that
they want to produce a show in their community
themselves. I’m thrilled for that to happen and will do
my best to offer you some guidance if that interests
you.

How
can I reach you? It is SO
very important to me to be able to send you an email for
concerts and events and new music. Facebook is not
enough. My mail list is large, several thousand names
and addresses, but probably a third of those bounce
back. So if you did not receive an E-letter from me this
last week of November, that means I DO NOT have your
current email address. I really do need that, so please
email me at
mt@michaeltomlinson.com or click on my mail list link and sign
up again. I never share your information.

Our country, our people, our
healing. For me, this election was extremely painful. I
say that with respect for you if it was not so for you.
If we are not honest and forthright, we do not as likely
come together in a loving and kind and intelligent way.
I believe in humanity and I know that I play a part, as
you do, in all that comes to this world. What I wish for
us all is a softer way with each other. I wish for us to
breathe and pause now and again before we speak, even if
we are being yelled at. Especially if we are being
yelled at. Because we are not here to test each other,
to challenge each other, to criticize and judge each
other. We are here to accept each other and to come to
kindness and compassion again and again and again and to
love each other, no matter how many times in our life we
have failed. So I wish for us as a nation and for all
humans and living things to inhale and exhale and
remember kindness. It is worth holding in your
intention, no matter how opposite it may seem that the
world actually is. We just keep loving and forgiving and
holding a vision for the unlimited expression of
creativity and kindness and love everywhere. There is no
better way.

I hope you have a loving Holiday
Season and coming winter. If you have not yet listened
to House of Sky, I truly believe it is a wonderful gift
awaiting your attention. One of my closest friends said
to me about it, “I realized the other day that when ever
I listen to the songs on House of Sky, I love myself
more.” That is where it all starts, my friends. Take
good care of yourselves and don’t forget to take some
deep breaths.

Howdy my friends, as
I’m writing a new website rambling for you, it
seems strange that a year ago I was just about
now sending out the first copies of my House of
Sky cd to all my crowdfunding backers. It was a
joy even signing and packaging each one, knowing
that the reason it existed is because so many
people had believed in me and wanted to help me
bring some new songs to life in the world.

It took a while
before I was
ready to write
new songs after
House of Sky.
It’s that way
when you put so
much of your
heart and mind
into the
creation of an
album — or any
great endeavor.
I loved the
process of
recording that
album more than
any other record
I’ve ever
released. So for
a time I didn’t
allow myself to
write new songs.
I just wanted to
hang on a little
while longer to
the feeling of
releasing the
songs I’d
carried in my
life and loved
so much these
last few years.

Finally
though, I have
started to write
again and I just
love the songs
that have come
and that are
starting to show
up in bits of
melodies. A few
weeks ago when I
went to bed, I
grabbed my
little hand held
recorder and
some headphones
and just laid
there in the
dark and went
back over melody
and song ideas
I’d recorded
over the last
year. Some were
such a surprise.
I was astonished
at how many of
them I really
loved. It made
me excited to
see where they
will go and how
they’ll evolve.

As you probably
know about
musicians and
our music, this
is a strange
time to try to
make a living.
Partly because
our music is so
often downloaded
or streamed for
free — or for a
small fee. I
have never
received a check
from Pandora or
Spotify, so I
have not sent
them my new
music.
Eventually I
will, but I
needed to try to
sell all I can
first before I
give it away for
free.

This new reality
requires nimble
thinking and
open mindedness
as to what to do
next and how to
do things
related to music
that can help me
to make a living
and still be
able to continue
writing and
singing songs.
In this coming
year I’m going
to create
several new
projects. I’m
working on a
series of short
guided
meditations,
where, over a
soft bed of
music, I vocally
guide the
listener to a
calmer place
where thoughts
do not run wild
and a sense of
peace pervades.
I’ve been doing
these over the
last year and
many people have
let me know that
they are a big
help in getting
started
meditating.

Also, some of
you may remember
my compilation
album,
“Friendship and
Goodwill.” That
album came to
exist because I
was asked to
sing for a Fifth
grade class by a
teacher who
wanted to share
with the
children the
value of real
Friendship. Most
schools have an
anti-bullying
program. She
took a different
approach in
teaching the
children about
the many forms
and aspects of
friendship. To
my great honor
and surprise,
she told the
kids, “I asked
Michael to come
and sing for you
because many of
his songs are
about
friendship, and
because he is
someone who
really lives
that, he is a
very good
friend.” I may
have cried a
little.

Knowing I was
going to be
singing for the
kids, I had
created ahead of
time a special
compilation CD
of my songs, and
on the back of
the booklet,
dedicated it to
them all by
name. They loved
it. The reaction
and interest by
teachers and
principals and
parents and
grandparents in
that album
really surprised
me. So I plan to
do a new one,
more fully
realized and
involving some
of the kids’
feelings about
friendship in
the accompanying
booklet. It will
be a compilation
of some old and
new and never
before released
songs, all
intended to
foster
friendship and
integrity and
kindness in
children. I will
probably do a
small crowd
funding
campaign,
something like
Go Fund Me, in
order to have a
way to bring it
to life. If this
calls to you, I
would really
appreciate your
support.
Also, I’m going
to soon do two
workshops in
Seattle. One is
a Writer’s
Workshop. I did
one here a
couple of years
ago and it was
such an
enjoyable
experience — and
by the responses
of those who
came — it was
inspiring to
them and left
them feeling
excited to
write. The
gathering will
be mostly
talking, with
some actual
writing time.
It’s meant for
all ages and for
all types and
levels of
writing. Maybe
you want to
write more
personally in
letters, or for
your work you
need some help
with writing
with clarity. Or
you wish to
employ more
imagination in
your writing. I
can help you
with those
things. I write
every day of my
life and I love
it. It is a part
of my well being
and even my
spirituality,
that I focus,
come into the
present moment,
and then do my
writing.

I am also
thinking it’s
time for another
Songwriter’s
Workshop,
focusing on both
music and
lyrics, but
primarily on the
inspiration
behind writing
and the openness
of imagination
and the
motivation that
we must have to
write at all,
but certainly to
write good
songs. I’ve done
a few of these
over the years
and am excited
to try some new
ideas.

If you are on
Facebook,
then you may
know that I
write something
almost every
day; some story
or humorous
piece, or I play
with photo
changing and
write essays and
sometimes
writings of
spiritual
insight.
Whatever comes
up for me is
what I write.
Whatever it is,
I always hope to
fill what I
write with love.
Why else even
write?

I’m always happy
to hear from
you. And if you
have changed
email addresses,
please, please
send me your new
one or
sign up on my
mail list again.
That is the life
blood of a
musical artist.
Having a way to
write you
directly is so
important. I
just found that
I’m playing San
Diego on June
30, for the
first time in
over 20 years.
Also, I’ll have
a show this fall
in Indianapolis
I’m really
excited about
and hope to put
it together with
something in
Ohio and up the
east coast into
New England. If
you’re on
my mail list,
you’ll get early
notice every
time I’m near
you.

Whatever you are
doing this
spring time, I
hope you have
some moments of
gratitude. I
hope that you
see the blossoms
and the blush of
springtime
bursting forth
and feel
grateful that
you get to see
another one. I
think that every
year. “Wow!
Thank you for
letting me live
to see another
spring!”

Don’t forget to
take some deep
breaths and be
kind to
yourself, my
friend.